Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Fangirl

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Published: September 10, 2014

Format Read/Pages: HB/438

How I Acquired It: ALA Midwinter ‘14

Date Finished: August 15, 2014
Find at: Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

In Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories? Open her heart to someone? Or will she just go on living inside somebody else’s fiction?

~

Where to even begin with this book? I loved it. The characters were so down to earth and relatable that it was scary at times because I would be reading and picturing people I know with mannerisms that match. The fact that they were not all perfect, how often does our leading man have a receding hairline?, is what really makes the story. To me, this is why Rainbow Rowell has such a  following, she writes characters and situations that are so believable that it makes it easy to become invested in the their lives.

My first semester of college went much like Wren’s, partying all the time trying to break out of the mold that my life has always been. In reality I am Cath. Sub fan fiction with books and we are the same person. This allowed me to really connect with both of these strong, in their own way, females. I have had the experiences they have and know the thoughts that were going through their heads in these different situations.

The pacing of the story was great, not too rushed and it did not drag. It is quite interesting that people complain about the fact they Simon Snow is so much like Harry Potter. Honestly what other recent series has had as big of an impact on so many young readers as Harry Potter did. That fandom is one of the biggest there will ever be and I loved that the Simon Snow fandom had the same feel. I would totally read the Simon Snow stories and they would probably share a shelf with my Harry Potter books.

The only qualm I have with the story, like so many, was the ending. Not because I did not like it, but because it left me wanting so much more. All in all, I cannot say how much I loved this book. I really don’t have much to say about it because it was perfect. I will forever be a fan of Rowell’s. 

5 Stars

Blog Tour - Drowning by Rachel Firasek Review and Giveaway

Title: Drowing

Author: Rachel Firasek

Published: October 19, 2013

Series: Tears of Sin #1

Format Read/Pages: eBook/263

How I Acquired It: Itching for Books

Date Finished: March 2, 2014

Find at: Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

*This book was provided in exchange for an honest review.

**Drowning is a New Adult Contemporary Romance suited for 18+ due to some violence, language, and sexual content**

"I dare you."

Those words would change adrenaline junkie, Alice Harrison's life forever. She's a party girl that doesn't believe in love until she meets a man that only writes about it.

Seth James escaped his overbearing father and moved into one of the James family's vacant condos, hoping to create the music he loves in peace. But the fragile calm he's envisioned shatters when a tiny woman with a world full of energy bounces out of the elevator and nearly takes him out.

With the patience of a saint, Seth seeks the dark that keeps Alice from enjoying life. He challenges her to exorcise the demons in her past in order to discover the true meaning of love. But when the walls fall down, the hidden deceptions will bare the ugly truth about a woman drowning in sorrow and a man who may not know how to be her hero.

~

This is a very real and intense story from author. Rachel Friasek. I found the characters to be very relatable and the story believable while not being over done. Drowning is a highly emotional story and not for the faint of heart. 

I really enjoyed how real and relatable the characters were. I could see myself going through some of their issues without it being over the top and cheesy. There were real issues, such as abuse, that were tackled in this story. Mostly in a way that does not exploit it and make the characters feel contrived. The weight of guilt is a very powerful thing, and I feel that in Alice, we see how it can really affect a person and there everyday lives. 

Firasek created a story that was gripping and emotional, with characters that were able to capture my attention and make me believe they belong with each other. I have not read any of her other work, but I will definitely be checking it out in the future. 

4 Stars

~

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rachel Firasek spends her days daydreaming of stories and her nights putting the ideas to ink. She has spent a dull life following the rules, meeting deadlines, and toeing the line, but in her made up worlds, she can let the wild side loose. Her wonderful husband and three children support her love of the written word and only ask for the occasional American Idol or Swamp People quality hour.

She has a philosophy about love. It must devastate or it isn’t truly worth loving. She hopes that you all find your devastating love and cling to it with all your heart!

www.rachelfirasek.com/ | twitter.com/RachelFirasek | facebook.com/RachelFirasekAuthor

Make sure to check out all the stops on the Drowning tour!

The full schedule is available at Itching for Books.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to Rachel Firasek and Shane at IFB for the chance to participate in this tour!

Blog Tour - Full Steam Ahead by Valerie Chase Review and Giveaway

Title: Full Steam Ahead

Author: Valerie Chase

Published: January 14, 2014

Series: Sea Swept #1

Format Read/Pages: eBook/166

How I Acquired It: IFB Tours

Date Finished: February 2, 2014

Find at: Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

*This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Seven days aboard a luxury cruise.
The perfect getaway from it all.
At least, that’s what Georgia Cantwell was hoping for.

Georgia wishes she could run away from the nightmare that has consumed her life, but she can’t. With her inbox filling with menacing emails, all she can do is try to get through her sorority’s winter break cruise without anyone realizing how wrecked she is. So she really doesn’t need Jace McLaren seeing through her tacked-on smile when no one else seems to notice.

Growing up with a father in jail, Jace knows from experience that if you’re going through hell, there’s no way out but through. He has always steered away from girls like Georgia with her ice-queen attitude, but she’s in real trouble, and despite himself he pushes past her walls.

As much as Georgia tries to ignore it, Jace won’t let her pretend with him. But she can’t risk telling him the truth. Her past would ruin his trust, her family, her future—everything.

But out on the open ocean, there’s nowhere to hide. And when Georgia’s secrets come tumbling out, it might take more than Jace to save her. 

~

Going into this I really did not know what to expect. There were a multitude of ways that this could have turned out, but I was extremely happy with what was actually presented. Chase gives us a quick, sweet new adult read that is refreshing in a genre that can be a hit or a miss.

Full Steam Ahead starts with Georgia almost missing the cruise she is supposed to be on with a few of her sorority sisters over their winter break. We learn that she is reluctant to even go on the trip, as it will have her in close proximity with her ex-boyfriend, Hunter, that she recently split from. After a bit of a roommate shuffle she ends up rooming with mysterious and alluring Jace, who had a bit of a reputation. Georgia is also struggling with the fact that her family has lost their wealth and is pressuring her into thing that they think will make everything right again.

I found her hardship to be very realistic. Now, some people might condemn her and ask why she is going on such an extravagant vacation if she has no money, but in reality people will go to many lengths to hide the issues that they are dealing with. We later find out that a lack of money is not her only problem and that there are more serious problems that she has to deal with, so spending money on a cruise she can’t really afford is the least of her worries.

I really wish we could have explored Jace a little more. I really like him as a character and would have been interested in learning more about him. I do feel as though the issues he had with his father were a little too perfectly wrapped up, just because he had to get over the feelings of resentment to be able to accept Georgia for who she really is. Overall, I really liked both of the main characters and feel as though they complimented each other well. Not to mention the fact that they make one hell of a steamy pair.

Something that I really enjoyed was the setting. I thought that it was a great idea to have it be set on a cruise ship. It gave the characters plenty to do and see, while not getting in a routine of doing the same things over and over again. It also set a good timeframe for the story and a plausible reason for two people, who are not that good of friends, to be around each other so much.

The ending was wrapped up a bit to neatly for me, but it did not detract from my enjoyment of the story at all. Chase really provides all the makings of a great story and does not disappoint. I am looking forward to checking out more of her work in the future!

4 Stars

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Valerie Chase is an author of New Adult Romance. She currently lives in the Washington, DC area. Full Steam Ahead is her debut novel.

As for her writing style, Valerie loves sexy banter and guys whose hearts are in the right place, even if their heads sometimes aren't. She loves discovering strong, awesome characters, putting them in entertaining situations, and watching them argue their way to love.

valeriechase.blogspot.com | twitter.com/val_chase | facebook.com/pages/Valerie-Chase/324942107643538

Make sure to check out all the stops on the Full Steam Ahead tour!

The full schedule is available at Itching for Books.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to Shane at IFB and Valerie Chase for the chance to participate in this tour!!

Blog Tour - A Boat Made of Bone by Nicole Grotepas Review & Giveaway

Title: A Boat Made of Bone

Author: Nicole Grotepas

Published: January 13, 2014

Format Read/Pages: eBook/387

How I Acquired It: AToMR Tours

Date Finished: January 31, 2014

Find at: Amazon | B&N | Goodreads 

Kate Miller has been having recurring dreams about the same man . . . a dead man. Will Hawke, to be exact, a celebrity who died long before Kate had any reason to pay attention to celebrities.

While the night-world she enjoys with Will beckons, her waking world has suddenly gotten intriguing. Ty Watts--a guy with looks that could set a thousand housewives free--just walked into her life. He's got a smile and a secret that begs to be found out.

But is Ty a distraction or a savior?

Kate's dreams threaten to take over. She must negotiate the edge of reality, solve the mystery of her nightly rendezvous with Will and either set him free or lose herself forever in the seductively dangerous world he inhabits.

A Boat Made of Bone is a love story that spans worlds, generations, and reaches beyond death into the realm of fantasy. 

~

The cover was what captures my attention, but the description was what held it. This was a great start to a series that has a lot of potential to gain momentum as it continues. Grotepas introduces us to a very interesting concept and follows through with an enjoyable story.

I really liked the dynamic between all the characters. They fit well and complimented each other. Audra was a great companion for Kate to have and was one of my favorites. I must say that I would have liked to see more Ty, there is just something about him that I can’t get over. The beginning was a bit slow, but the second half of the story really picked up and held my attention.

Overall, the reading experience was enjoyable and I look forward to the continuation of this saga. 

3 Stars

About the Author

Nicole wrote her first fantasy novel in 7th grade on her mother's old Brother typewriter. It was never finished but it strongly resembled a Dragonlance plot and she's forever wondered what happened to the manuscript and Tonathan--the handsome elven protagonist. After living in Nashville where she worked as an editor, she returned to the Utah desert where she was raised. Nicole now lives near the Wasatch mountains with her husband. She writes and raises her son and three cats full time.

Find her on: Facebook / Goodreads / Pinterest / Google+ / Website 

Make Sure to check out all the stops on the A Boat Made of Bone tour!

Find the tour schedule at AMoTR tours.

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Thank you to AToMR tours and Nicole Grotepas for the chance to read and review A Boat made of Bone!

Crashing into You by B.D. Rowe

Title: Crashing into You

Author: B.D. Rowe

Published: October 1, 2013

Format Read/Pages: eBook/212

How I Acquired It: NetGalley
Date Finished: December 26, 2013

Find it at: Amazon | B&N | Goodreads 

Bookish college sophomore Sydney Baker wants Evan Taylor with every ounce of her being. The hottest stud on campus, Evan is six foot four, ripped, stacked with muscles. He's even easy to talk to.

There's just one problem: he's her roommate Melanie's boyfriend.

But when Melanie tragically dies after a night of wild partying, Sydney and Evan turn to each other in a time of intense grief. And it doesn't take long for their close friendship to blossom into something more.

Unfortunately for Sydney, secrets from the past soon put her relationship with Evan to the test. Especially when a sexy blonde freshman makes her way into Evan's life, and tries to rip away everything Sydney holds close to her heart.

~

This book made me sooooo mad. I was on the verge of ripping my hair out while reading this. Sydney has to be the most unlucky person to ever be written into this world. So unlucky, that it starts to be very unbelievable. I am not going to get into too much detail, because then it would spoil the whole story, but I will outline some of my greater frustrations.

How do you not check on your roommate, who has been sleeping in the bed above you, for DAYS!?!?!? Taking one little glance at a foot sticking out of the covers is not the same as checking on a person when they are sick. I had mono my freshman year of college and was stuck in bed for almost two weeks straight. Everyday my roommate made sure that I was okay and would ask if I needed anything while she was out, that is what people do. Okay, so you didn’t check on her, fine. But when the room started to smell wouldn’t you think something was really wrong? Or try and find the source of said smell? The idiocy this girl possessed made me question how she got into college in the first place.

The relationship between Syd and Evan left me feeling unsettled. I understand that traumatic experiences pull people together, but I don’t know if I could be in a relationship with a boy if I had a hand (although unintentional) in killing his girlfriend. Or, if I found out that he was one of the main reasons that she drank so much in the first place and that he had been lying to me about it for months.

Crashing into You was not an enjoyable read in the slightest. The story was not the most horrible thing I have ever read, but for all this to happen to one person seems really improbable. The absurdity of it all was what really turned me off and I think that if things were less dramatic that it all would have been easier to swallow. 

2 Stars

Blog Tour - Lingering Echoes by Erica Kiefer Review and Giveaway

Title: Lingering Echoes

Author: Erica Kiefer

Published: November 16, 2013

Format Read/Pages: eBook/278

How I Acquired It: Itching for Books

Date Finished: January 11, 2014

Purchase at: Amazon | B&N 

She's broken with guilt.
He harbors a chilling past.
It's safer if they keep their distance...
But, the echoes that linger connect them.

Returning to Hidden Pines is the last thing Allie Collins wants to do during her final summer before college. For her, the family cabin she spent her youthful summers in, now holds a dark memory that has haunted her every day for the last year.

While struggling to forget her past, Allie runs into Damien, a local rebel with secrets of his own. He's dark, dangerous and he keeps showing up when Allie least expects him to. She has every reason not to trust him. So why does she find herself opening up to him in a way she hasn't been able to with anyone?

As pieces of Damien’s identity emerge, answers to a rumored mystery begin to unfold. By the time Allie unearths the secrets of Damien’s past, she realizes just how intricately they are connected. Now she is caught in a dangerous battle that threatens her life and those she loves.

~

When I first started reading this story I didn’t think I was going to like it half as much as I did. It was tough to get into but once the story really started to develop it had my attention and did not let go. Erica Kiefer created a beautiful setting for Lingering Echoes and an amazing story to go along with it.

I really think the reason I ended up liking the story so much was because of the place that it was set in. Hidden Pines is the picturesque vacation on a lake spot, the sort which I often frequented as a child. Reading some of the descriptions of places in town and around the lake made it that much easier to picture what I thought Hidden Pines would look like. It almost became its own character in the fact that there was so much history and story behind that one place, for both of our characters, that the book would not have been the same without it. Kiefer provides us with beautiful imagery and makes it easy to picture every scene as if you are there.

I really felt for Allie in the fact that her family thought it would be best to drag her back to the scene of such heartbreak for her. At first it seemed as though they did not have her best interest at heart and were really doing things that they thought would push her to get over what happened, for their sakes and not hers. As things progressed it does seem to be the right idea, but only because it pushes her closer to Damian, who happens to be the one person that can really understand what she is going through.

Towards the end of the story, which is told mostly through Allie, we get to a part entitled ‘Damian’s Story’ as soon as I saw that I let out a huge sigh. I saw this going one of two ways, it not working with the story and completely disrupting the flow of it or being just what we needed to really understand Damian and what happened to him. I am glad to say that it turned out to be the latter. I thought that it fit right into the overall telling and did not feel out of place at all. Kiefer did a great job of melding the two different voices.

I ended up really enjoying the sad, but heartfelt tale that is presented in Lingering Echoes. It tells what the real life consequences of some of our actions can be and how our decisions not only affect us, but those around us. More often than not, they are felt by those that we love. This story also offers a chance at redemption and shows how two people, jaded from their experiences, can help each other heal from their pasts. 

4 Stars

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Erica Kiefer was born on Christmas Eve in Southern California to an American father whose ancestors arrived from Europe during colonial times and a Thai mother who moved to the US during high school. Adding to her rich and varied heritage, Erica grew up living abroad in Asia, including Taiwan, Fiji, Thailand and Indonesia. She gained a great respect for the beautiful mosaic of cultures found in various parts of the world. After graduating from International School Bangkok, she attended Brigham Young University in Utah, where she earned a degree in Recreation Therapy. Her career as a Recreation Therapist has allowed her to work with at-risk youth since 2007

Erica made the best decision of her life by marrying her husband in 2005 and is currently a mother of three, one of whom awaits her in heaven. Erica also loves singing, reading, writing, and satisfying her sweet-tooth with chocolate-chip cookies. Playing collegiate rugby was one of the most memorable experiences of her life, thus far.

ericakieferbooks.com | twitter.com/ericarockkiefer | facebook.com/ericakieferauthor

Be sure to check out the other stops on the Lingering Echoes tour! The full schedule is available at Itching for Books.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to Shane at IFB and Erica Kiefer for the chance to participate in this tour!

Blog Tour - Heart Breaths by K.K. Hendin Review & Giveaway

Title: Heart Breaths

Author: K.K. Hendin

Published: November 5, 2013

Format Read/Pages: eBook/265

How I Acquired It: Itching for Books

Date Finished: January 5, 2014
Purchase at: Amazon | B&N

***Heart Breaths will be available for $0.99 on Amazon for this week only!!

After a tragedy nearly ripped 21 year old Madeline Darlington-Gray’s life in half, she's spent the past three years trying to put the pieces back together. But pieces never just fit back together, and when she's betrayed by those she trusts, everything crumbles. Shoving everything she owns into the trunk of her car, Maddie drives south, trying to run from her past.

Eno, North Carolina seems like the perfect place to hide. Working at a local café is light years from Maddie's Manhattan existence and for the first time in a while, she's finding her family. There's Grandma, the café owner; Samantha, the hairstylist next door with plans to make Maddie's life unsuck and Noie, the three year old girl who's stolen Maddie's heart.

And then there’s Gabriel Mendez, Noie’s single dad. He’s intrigued Maddie since the first time she met him, and while he has his own secrets, he wants more from her than just friendship. But the past never stays past, and all too soon, Maddie realizes she can't hide from hers. If she can't put the pieces of her shattered life together this time, she'll have no hope for a future.

A future she desperately wants.

~

I really, really, really loved this story. It hit me right in the feels and left me with more emotions than I ever like to have. I seem to be reading a lot of stories about loss and they all manage to make me feel for the characters as though they are real people. Hendin accomplished that and then some with Heart Breaths.

The fact that the single parent in this story is the father was something that I really appreciated. It seems that not many authors, these days at least, have fathers as the main parent, especially as a single parent. I feel as though it brought a whole new set of challenges that are not always seen, especially since Noie comes with challenges of her own. The relationship between Noie and Gabe was perfect and it made me feel as though they are the best father/daughter duo a person can ask for. Maddie seamlessly fits into the equation upon being introduced to the two of them and it just seemed natural for her to be there. 

The heartbreaking reality that is Maddie’s life is something no young woman should have to go through at that age. Given her circumstances and the reasons that drove her to flee her home, she really finds a place that she is able to let her guard down and start to find a new way to live. With the help of some kick ass friends and people that genuinely love her, she found something and someone to live for again. Watching her journey unfold made reading the story easy and had me setting a fast pace to see what new daily adventures she was embarking on along the road to happiness.

The one and only gripe I have about this story was the abrupt ending!! I feel as though I got no closure with the characters and I would have loved to see how they all turned out. Other than that, I cannot express how much I loved this story. I will definitely be on the lookout for any more stories that Hendin puts out. 

4.5 Stars

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

KK Hendin's real life ambition is to become a pink fluffy unicorn who dances with rainbows. But the schooling for that is all sorts of complicated, so until that gets sorted out, she'll just write. Preferably things with angst and love. And things that require chocolate.

kkhendinwrites.blogspot.com | twitter.com/kkhendin

Make sure to check out the other stops on K.K. Hendin's Heart Breaths tour. The full schedule is available at Itching for Books!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you Shane at IFB and K.K. Hendin for a chance to participate in this great tour!

Blog Tour - Me After You by Mindy Hayes Review & Giveaway

Title: Me After You

Author: Mindy Hayes

Published: November 18, 2013
Series: Willowhaven #1

Format Read/Pages: eBook/290

How I Acquired It: Itching for Books

Date Finished: January 4, 2014
Purchase at: Amazon | B&N

Widowed at twenty-five, Sawyer Hartwell has no choice but to return to her hometown. Broke and alone, the intention was to heal and find herself again, but how can she heal in a place filled with so much sorrow and memories she yearns to forget?

Dean Preston has regretted leaving Willowhaven since the day he rode off on his motorcycle six years ago, destroying the only love he had ever known. Returning too late, he's found small comfort in a new life with Lily, but with Sawyer back he's not sure of anything anymore.

The time has come for Sawyer and Dean to face the past, to learn from their mistakes. The road to healing is paved with old wounds, each one threatening to tear them down completely. Carrying their own scars close to their hearts, they must both confront what's gone before or lose their second chance.

The measure of who we are is what we survive. Who we become is up to us.

~

This is an emotion driven story, about a young woman and her struggle to move on after multiple heartbreaks in her young life. It is a story about finding something to live for, when nothing seems worth it. Me After You had me engrossed from the first few pages and took me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions to the very end.

The beginning really caught my attention; it was very abrupt and set the tone for the rest of the story. The opening has us at the funeral of Sawyer’s husband who has been murdered.  I had so many questions after the first few paragraphs, and I was extremely happy to not be left hanging and to receive all my answers. I was a little mad at Hayes for making me really like the dead husband, Grayson. Through well placed and timed flashbacks we get to see how he and Sawyer meet and how their relationship progresses. I knew that I liked him when he asked her out for “coffee or hot chocolate,” as a non-coffee drinker I find it is nice to see that others don’t assume everyone drinks coffee.

Most of the characters that Hayes introduces are likable enough, though they are not without their flaws. I felt strongly for Sawyer and I can’t imagine all the heartbreak she has had to go through in her 25 years, first with Dean and then with Grayson. I really think that she was written in a realistic fashion of a grieving young wife and that, to me, made the story infinitely better. I did not care for our main characters best friends. They both rubbed me the wrong way and if I found out my best friend lied to me, even to protect me, about something as important as what Alix lied to Sawyer about, there would have been hell to pay.

Dean was tough for me to get behind; he made some terrible choices, both by leaving Sawyer and then some when she returns. As the story progressed I found it a bit easier to understand his reasoning for leaving, but I will probably never understand him not telling her that he has still wants her right away. I just kept thinking to myself, ‘You know you want her, so tell her!!’

Overall, I really enjoyed the story. In some parts it felt a little slow and repetitive, but it was worth it in the end. Hayes really delivers a sweet, yet heartbreaking tale. I would be interested in seeing what else she has to offer us. 

3.5 Stars

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mindy Hayes grew up in San Diego, California exploring her interest for singing and playing the piano. She first discovered her passion for reading when she had to take her first flight alone to South Carolina to visit her then fiancé. Mindy's love for writing followed shortly after. She and her husband have now been married for six years and live in Summerville, South Carolina.

www.mindyhayes.com | facebook.com/hayes.mindy | twitter.com/haymindywrites

To visit the other stops on Mindy Hayes' Me After You tour check out the tour schedule at Itching for Books. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank You to Shane at IFB and Mindy Hayes for a chance to participate in this tour!

Escaping Reality by Lisa Renee Jones

Title: Escaping Reality

Author: Lisa Renee Jones

Published: July 22, 2013

Series?: The Secret Life of Amy Bensen #1

Format Read/Pages: eBook/250

How Acquired It: NetGalley

Date Finished: December 11, 2013

Infinite possibilities….

Infinite passion…..

Infinite danger….

His touch spirals through me, warm and sweet, wicked and hot. I shouldn’t trust him. I shouldn’t tell him my secrets. But how do I not when he is the reason I breathe? He is what I need.

At the young age of eighteen, tragedy and a dark secret force Lara to flee all she has known and loves to start a new life. Now years later, with a new identity as Amy, she’s finally dared to believe she is forgotten–even if she cannot forget. But just when she lets down her guard, the ghosts of her past are quick to punish her, forcing her back on the run.

On a plane, struggling to face the devastation of losing everything again and starting over, Amy meets Liam Stone, a darkly entrancing recluse billionaire, who is also a brilliant, and famous, prodigy architect. A man who knows what he wants and goes after it. And what he wants is Amy. Refusing to take “no” as an answer, he sweeps her into a passionate affair, pushing her to her erotic limits. He wants to possess her. He makes her want to be possessed. Liam demands everything from her, accepting nothing less. But what if she is too devastated by tragedy to know when he wants more than she should give? And what if there is more to Liam than meets the eyes?

~

To be honest, I have no idea why I liked this book so much. I remember thinking to myself while reading that it was going to be hard to write a review because there really isn’t all that much development that happens, but I enjoyed it none the less.

The beginning was very captivating for me and left me with a ton of unanswered questions (as the story continued that seemed to be a common thing), like who was after Amy and what was the reason she was running from them. I honestly think one of the most appealing things about this story, for me, was how uninformative it was. That might sound weird, but it made me feel closer to Amy because she was just as in the dark as I was. So, when she discovered the few details that she did, it was like I could join in on the excitement of uncovering a clue to her past.

The relationship Amy and Liam have is a very odd one. She lets him take control over her affairs after only knowing him for a small number of hours. I think this may be because she is used to her “Guardian Angel” giving her direction on where to live and what to do, so it is natural for her to follow commands from a dominant male. Liam is a very alpha male character and is not afraid to show his controlling nature. Jared, Amy’s neighbor who we know very little about, really seems to bring out the worst in Liam as he is also a dominant male figure in her close proximity.

Something that made me laugh at the absurdity of it was their inability to use their brains when it came to unprotected sex. Not a good idea, but it happens. That does not mean that there are not further protection methods that would keep you from getting pregnant, there is no way a woman in her twenties has not heard of Plan B, also known as, the morning after pill. Now, if we continue with the other book(s) in the series we will likely have to deal with a pregnancy.  

While most of the book felt like filler with no real plot development I still found the story to be an enjoyable, fast read. I will more than likely continue on to the next book, if only just to see Liam’s reaction to Amy leaving. 

3.5 Stars

Music of the Heart by Katie Ashley

Title: Music of the Heart

Author: Katie Ashley

Published: March 24, 2013  

Series?: Runaway Train #1 

Format Read/Pages: ebook/259

How/When I Acquired It: Bought it/April 2013 

Date Finished: April 15, 2013

For Abby Renard, the plan was supposed to be simple—join her brothers’ band on the last leg of their summer tour and decide if she’s finally ready for the limelight by becoming its fourth member. Of course, she never imagined stumbling onto the wrong tour bus at Rock Nation would accidentally land her in the bed of Jake Slater, the notorious womanizing lead singer of Runaway Train. When he mistakes her for one of his groupie’s, Abby quickly lets him know she sure as hell isn't in his bed on purpose.

Jake Slater never imagined the angel who fell into his bed would resist his charms by promptly kneeing him in the balls. Of course, the fact she seems like a prissy choir girl makes her anything but his type. So he is more than surprised when after betting Abby she wouldn’t last a week on their tour bus, she is more than willing to prove him wrong. But as Jake’s personal life begins to implode around him, he finds an unlikely ally in Abby. He’s never met a woman he can talk to, joke with, or most importantly make music with.

As the week starts comes to a close, neither Abby nor Jake is ready to let go. Can a sweetheart Country songstress and a bad boy of Rock N Roll actually have a future together?

~

When I first read the description for Music of the Heart, I found my self laughing at the absurdity. Why would anyone agree to living on a bus with four men just to win a bet with someone that you hardly know and already can't stand? But then I had to reevaluate my stand as I personally have taken bets that to others may seem very illogical. After I was able to get over the ridiculousness of the situation, I found that I thoroughly enjoyed the story that was being told. While at times it was utterly cliched, it was able to hole my interest enough and I am willing to admit, brought me to tears on occasion. 

The characters were extremely likable, I tend to find the females leads in books like this to be highly annoying at times, but I found myself actually liking and rooting for Abby. Jake is of course a heartthrob, tattoos (I'm a sucker for tattoos.) I found that it was the secondary characters that would often make the scene, with the jokes and the insightful background on our two leads. 

My biggest concern, and it is something that is found in just about any new adult fiction with a "badboy" is the scene in which Jake verbally demolishes Abby's character and her love for him, and then she just forgives him. I get that he was going through a rough time, but come one girl, stand up for yourself!! This is definitely a minor thing that I can look over, but I really shouldn't, the fact that it has become the norm these days is a bit sad and telling of the future. 

Overall, I really enjoyed Music of the Heart, I really liked the writing style Katie Ashley bring to the table. I will definitely be looking into her other works.  

4 Stars